UPDATE 1-Soccer-Cuba lose 1-0 to Canada in World Cup qualifier

June 8 (Reuters) - Canada held on to beat Cuba 1-0 in aWorld Cup qualifier in Havana on Friday despite havinggoalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld sent off in the second half.

Olivier Occean gave the visitors the winner with a headerafter 54 minutes.

Canada were then reduced to 10 men when Hirschfeld was shownthe red card after 63 minutes for handling the ball outside thepenalty box.

"I came out pretty aggressively and basically looking toclear it with my head and play it out to the left back when itbounced it popped up really high over me," Hirschfeld explained.

"It was a desperation thing, either let it get up over meand into the box and let them have a go at it."

Cuba, who were unlucky not to score early in the second halfwhen Alberto Gomez's shot just missed the target, pressed hardfor an equaliser but were unable to find a way past replacementgoalkeeper Milan Borjan, who came on for Tosaint Ricketts whenHirschfeld was sent off.

Canada, bidding to reach the World Cup for the first timesince 1986, converted their best opportunity when Occean headedDavid Edgar's cross past Cuban goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper on arough pitch that made it hard for the teams to control the ball.